Soldier Honored as Action Figure

American Forces Press Service Sara Wood May 04, 2006

Washington D.C. - When insurgents attacked Army Sgt. Tommy Rieman's reconnaissance squad near the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq Dec. 3, 2003, Rieman acted on his instincts as a leader.

With the convoy under heavy fire from rocket-propelled grenades, improvised explosive devices, and small arms, Rieman used his own body as a shield to protect his gunner and returned fire. The Humvees the squad was traveling in did not have doors, so Rieman suffered two bullet wounds and 11 shrapnel wounds, and a soldier in the rear vehicle lost his right leg.

Rieman directed the convoy off the road, out of the kill zone, only to be attacked by another, smaller group of insurgents. Rieman led his men to return fire, and the enemy's weapons were silenced. Rieman then called for a medical evacuation helicopter.

For his actions that day, Rieman was awarded a Silver Star in August 2004 at Fort Bragg, N.C. But now, two years later, Rieman, who is now an administrative assistant for the Army personnel office in the Pentagon, is being honored in another, unique way. He will soon be appearing on video game screens and in toy boxes around the country.

Rieman is among the first participants in the "America's Army: Real Heroes" program, which aims to honor soldiers who have shown heroism in the war on terror. Participants will have their lives and military stories recounted in "America's Army," the Army's video game for personal computers and console systems. The soldiers' likenesses are also being made into plastic action figures.

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